1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a trim panel assembly having a narrow transition radius and an apparatus and method of manufacturing the same.
2. Background Art
Vehicle trim panels such as instrument panels and door panels are sometimes partially covered by a coverskin. In this type of configuration, it can be considered desirable to hide the end of the coverskin at the transition between the covered and uncovered portion of the panel. One technique for achieving this is through the use of a tuck rib in a mold. The skin is laid on the mold on one side of the rib. Resin is then introduced into the mold, keeping the skin pressed against the mold. This results in a groove along the panel, giving the appearance that the coverskin is tucked under and hidden behind the groove.
There is concern, however, that pressure caused by injecting the resin into mold will cause the rib to fail. To prevent this, the ribs have been designed to be relatively thick, with a relatively large radius at its base. However, the larger the radius of the rib, the larger the radii at the groove on the visible surface of the finished panel tends to be. A relatively large radius on the surface can result in a relatively large gap between the covered and uncovered portion. A relatively large gap can be considered undesirable by some.
It would be desirable to provide a trim panel assembly having a narrow transition radius. It would also be desirable to provide an apparatus and method of manufacturing the same.